The lower back often suffers throughout the day, especially due to poor posture or long periods in which the body remains seated.And especially in the case of those who adopt a sedentary life. It can also suffer during the exercise due to not having been strengthened or having executed a movement with bad technique.
For all these reasons, the best thing to do to ensure your well-being, and avoid injuries such as low back pain, is to perform exercises and stretches for the lower back. This improves stability, range of motion and elasticity.
Here are some stretching positions to keep your lower back in excellent condition:
1. Child’s position
One of the best ways to stretch your lower back is to do Child’s Pose, being a basic yoga positions.
To do it, you will have to position yourself on your knees, with these open approximately in line with respect to the width of the hips.
Next, you will have to sit on your heels with your back upright. From there the body will be lowered slowly until it rests on the knees and the forehead on the ground.
While the arms will be stretched forward and with the palms also on the mat. This stretch is especially recommended due to the gentleness with which it manages to decongest the lower back.
2. Lumbar torsion
One of the most popular back stretching exercises, largely because it can be modulated according to the person’s physical condition, making it more accessible than others.
Begin by lying on your back on the floor with your knees bent, arms out by your sides, and feet flat on the floor.
You just have to move both knees to the side at the same time, as much as possible, and hold for a few seconds.
3. Cat pose
Another recommended position to stretch the muscles of the lower back and soothe discomfort in the area.
To perform it, the hands and knees are on the ground, the first ones aligned with the shoulders and the second ones with the hips.
The movement consists of arching the back upwards, emulating a cat that is stretching.
This is then repeated, only in the opposite direction, that is, downwards. In each of the two phases it is important to hold on for a few seconds.
4. Bridge
The bridge exercise is one of the essentials to prevent or relieve low back pain.
The movement begins from a lying position on your back, with your arms resting in line with your body and your knees bent. From here we will have to elevate the pelvis.
To know if it is being done correctly, it will be necessary to take into account that, when doing the lifting, shoulders, hips and knees form a line.
5. Sphinx pose
Once again, yoga comes to the rescue. The sphinx pose can be somewhat more demanding than others, especially if there is hardly any flexibility in the area, but it is precisely for this reason that it will be advisable. You have to strengthen and stretch your lower back.
The exercise starts from a prone position, with the forearms resting on the sides of the body.
Achieving balance with them, they will raise their head and chest as much as possible, but without harming themselves, in a posture in which they will hold for twenty seconds.
6. Elevation of knees
This exercise also greatly favors the health of the lower back. In a lying position on your back, feet flat on the floor, slowly raise both knees until they reach your chest.
There they can be kept holding hands or with them stretched on both sides of the body. This position should be held for about twenty seconds. It can also be done alternating knees.
7. Bow Pose
To perform this exercise it is important to be careful, since it is more technically complicated than others.
With the bow posture, the lower back is stretched and strengthened, but it must be mastered so as not to hurt the area, so it is recommended for people who already have some experience in this type of stretching.
It starts with the body lying face down and, after taking a breath, the knees are bent and the ankles are held with the hands for about fifteen seconds. You can also use a band or a towel, in the case of not reaching with your hands.
8. Side Plank
An excellent resource to gain resistance and strength in the lower back is to include the side plank in the training routine.
With which the glutes and abdominals are also exercised, among other muscle groups.
The proper way to perform is to perform a plank and then slowly rotate with one forearm supporting you on the ground.
This while stretching the arm up the opposite arm. The back must remain straight at all times.
Make stretching and strengthening your lower back a necessity, your body will thank you for it.
